1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to an electrosurgical system and method and, more particularly, to arc detection and suppression for electrosurgical tissue treatment procedures such as vessel sealing and tissue ablation.
2. Background of Related Art
Energy-based tissue treatment is well known in the art. Various types of energy (e.g., electrical, ohmic, resistive, ultrasonic, microwave, cryogenic, laser, etc.) are applied to tissue to achieve a desired result. Electrosurgery involves application of high radio frequency electrical current to a surgical site to cut, ablate, coagulate or seal tissue. In monopolar electrosurgery, a source or active electrode delivers radio frequency energy from the electrosurgical generator to the tissue and a return electrode carries the current back to the generator. In bipolar electrosurgery, one of the electrodes of the hand-held instrument functions as the active electrode and the other as the return electrode. The return electrode is placed in close proximity to the active electrode such that an electrical circuit is formed between the two electrodes (e.g., electrosurgical forceps). In this manner, the applied electrical current is limited to the body tissue positioned between the electrodes.
Electrical arc formation is a discharge of current that is formed when a strong current flows through normally nonconductive media such as air (e.g., a gap in a circuit or between two electrodes). Electrical arc formation is problematic when occurring at the site of tissue being treated during an electrosurgical procedure. The arcing results in increased current being drawn from the electrosurgical generator to the electrical arc, thereby increasing the potential of damage to tissue due to the presence of increased levels of current and to the electrosurgical generator due to overcurrent conditions.